Heysátan

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of a farmer's intense labor, culminating in a moment of exhaustion and peace. The opening lines, "Höfðum þau hallí ró" and the repeated "En ég sló," establish a rhythm of relentless work, suggesting a long, arduous task of "sló tún" – mowing fields. The phrase "Eg hef slegið fjandans nóg" translates to "I have mowed enough of the devil," a powerful idiom that conveys the sheer, almost hellish effort involved in the task. The narrative then shifts to a specific incident: "Heysátan / Þá fer að fjúka út / Ut í mó... ég dró / Heyvagn á massey ferguson." This translates to "The hay stack / Then it starts to blow out / Out into the bog... I pulled / A hay wagon on a Massey Ferguson." This image captures a setback, where the hard-won hay is scattered by the wind, and the tractor struggles, "Því hann gaf undan" – because it gave way. The climax arrives with a sudden fall: "Og mér fótur rann... Andskotann / Eg varð undan / Og nú hvíli hér." This means "And my foot slipped... Damn it / I went under / And now I rest here." The slip and fall, punctuated by an expletive, leads to an unexpected surrender to rest. The final lines, "Með beyglað der / Og sáttur halla nú höfði hér," meaning "With a bent brim / And content I now rest my head here," reveal a profound sense of peace found in this involuntary pause. The exhaustion of the labor, the frustration of the setback, all dissolve into a simple, satisfied repose.